Faculty of Medicine

Permanent URI for this communityhttps://repository.ukim.mk/handle/20.500.12188/14

Browse

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 10 of 19
  • Some of the metrics are blocked by your 
    Item type:Publication,
    Obesity rise plateaus in developed nations and accelerates in developing nations
    (Springer Nature Limited, 2026-05-13)
    Zhou, Bin
    ;
    Phelps, Nowell H.
    ;
    Galeazzi, Agnese
    ;
    O’Driscoll, Olivia N.
    ;
    Bennett, James E.
    Global reporting of obesity is commonly based on comparisons over multiple decades1 and lacks a granular and systematic analysis of its dynamics. We used 4,050 population-based studies with measured height and weight data on 232 million participants to assess the worldwide dynamics of obesity from 1980 to 2024. The rise in obesity decelerated in school-aged children and adolescents throughout the 1990s in many high-income countries, and subsequently plateaued in most at age-standardized prevalences spanning 20 percentage points, from 3–4% for girls in Japan, Denmark and France to 23% for boys in the USA. There were indications of a small decline in obesity in children and adolescents in some high-income western countries (for example, Italy, Portugal and France) since the 2000s. Similar trends were seen in some countries in Central and Eastern Europe. In adults, the rise in obesity slowed down in high-income western countries about a decade after children, followed by a plateau or possibly a small reversal of the rise in some countries (for example, Spain). In most low-income and middle-income countries, the annual absolute change in prevalence has remained stable or increased over time, even though prevalence has surpassed that of high-income countries. These highly varied dynamics suggest that the social, economic and technological trends that influence the availability, affordability and use of different foods may have helped control the rise in obesity in high-income countries, but require policy interventions in low-income and middle-income countries.
  • Some of the metrics are blocked by your 
    Item type:Publication,
  • Some of the metrics are blocked by your 
    Item type:Publication,
    Diminishing benefits of urban living for children and adolescents’ growth and development
    (Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 2023-03-29)
    null, null
    ;
    Mishra, Anu
    ;
    Zhou, Bin
    ;
    Rodriguez-Martinez, Andrea
    ;
    Bixby, Honor
    <jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>Optimal growth and development in childhood and adolescence is crucial for lifelong health and well-being<jats:sup>1–6</jats:sup>. Here we used data from 2,325 population-based studies, with measurements of height and weight from 71 million participants, to report the height and body-mass index (BMI) of children and adolescents aged 5–19 years on the basis of rural and urban place of residence in 200 countries and territories from 1990 to 2020. In 1990, children and adolescents residing in cities were taller than their rural counterparts in all but a few high-income countries. By 2020, the urban height advantage became smaller in most countries, and in many high-income western countries it reversed into a small urban-based disadvantage. The exception was for boys in most countries in sub-Saharan Africa and in some countries in Oceania, south Asia and the region of central Asia, Middle East and north Africa. In these countries, successive cohorts of boys from rural places either did not gain height or possibly became shorter, and hence fell further behind their urban peers. The difference between the age-standardized mean BMI of children in urban and rural areas was <1.1 kg m<jats:sup>–2</jats:sup> in the vast majority of countries. Within this small range, BMI increased slightly more in cities than in rural areas, except in south Asia, sub-Saharan Africa and some countries in central and eastern Europe. Our results show that in much of the world, the growth and developmental advantages of living in cities have diminished in the twenty-first century, whereas in much of sub-Saharan Africa they have amplified.</jats:p>
  • Some of the metrics are blocked by your 
    Item type:Publication,
    Methodology and implementation of the WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI)
    (Wiley, 2021-11-04)
    Breda, João
    ;
    McColl, Karen
    ;
    Buoncristiano, Marta
    ;
    Williams, Julianne
    ;
    Abdrakhmanova, Shynar
    Establishment of the WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI) has resulted in a surveillance system which provides regular, reliable, timely, and accurate data on children's weight status—through standardized measurement of bodyweight and height—in the WHO European Region. Additional data on dietary intake, physical activity, sedentary behavior, family background, and school environments are collected in several countries. In total, 45 countries in the European Region have participated in COSI. The first five data collection rounds, between 2007 and 2021, yielded measured anthropometric data on over 1.3 million children. In COSI, data are collected according to a common protocol, using standardized instruments and procedures. The systematic collection and analysis of these data enables intercountry comparisons and reveals differences in the prevalence of childhood thinness, overweight, normal weight, and obesity between and within populations. Furthermore, it facilitates investigation of the relationship between overweight, obesity, and potential risk or protective factors and improves the understanding of the development of overweight and obesity in European primary-school children in order to support appropriate and effective policy responses.
  • Some of the metrics are blocked by your 
    Item type:Publication,
    Waist circumference and waist‐to‐height ratio in 7‐year‐old children—WHO Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative
    (Wiley, 2021-08-17)
    Taxová Braunerová, Radka
    ;
    Kunešová, Marie
    ;
    Heinen, Mirjam M.
    ;
    Rutter, Harry
    ;
    Hassapidou, Maria
  • Some of the metrics are blocked by your 
    Item type:Publication,
    Mobilizing governments and society to combat obesity: Reflections on how data from the WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative are helping to drive policy progress
    (Wiley, 2021-08-10)
    Breda, João
    ;
    Farrugia Sant'Angelo, Victoria
    ;
    Duleva, Vesselka
    ;
    Galeone, Daniela
    ;
    Heinen, Mirjam M.
  • Some of the metrics are blocked by your 
    Item type:Publication,
    Urban and rural differences in frequency of fruit, vegetable, and soft drink consumption among 6–9‐year‐old children from 19 countries from the WHO European region
    (Wiley, 2021-07-07)
    Heinen, Mirjam M.
    ;
    Bel‐Serrat, Silvia
    ;
    Kelleher, Cecily C.
    ;
    Buoncristiano, Marta
    ;
    Spinelli, Angela
    In order to address the paucity of evidence on the association between childhood eating habits and urbanization, this cross-sectional study describes urban–rural differences in frequency of fruit, vegetable, and soft drink consumption in 123,100 children aged 6–9 years from 19 countries participating in the fourth round (2015–2017) of the WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI). Children's parents/caregivers completed food-frequency questionnaires. A multivariate multilevel logistic regression analysis was performed and revealed wide variability among countries and within macroregions for all indicators. The percentage of children attending rural schools ranged from 3% in Turkey to 70% in Turkmenistan. The prevalence of less healthy eating habits was high, with between 30–80% and 30–90% children not eating fruit or vegetables daily, respectively, and up to 45% consuming soft drinks on >3 days a week. For less than one third of the countries, children attending rural schools had higher odds (OR-range: 1.1–2.1) for not eating fruit or vegetables daily or consuming soft drinks >3 days a week compared to children attending urban schools. For the remainder of the countries no significant associations were observed. Both population-based interventions and policy strategies are necessary to improve access to healthy foods and increase healthy eating behaviors among children.
  • Some of the metrics are blocked by your 
    Item type:Publication,
    Socioeconomic disparities in physical activity, sedentary behavior and sleep patterns among 6‐ to 9‐year‐old children from 24 countries in the WHO European region
    (Wiley, 2021-07-07)
    Musić Milanović, Sanja
    ;
    Buoncristiano, Marta
    ;
    Križan, Helena
    ;
    Rathmes, Giulia
    ;
    Williams, Julianne
    Physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep are important predictors of children's health. This paper aimed to investigate socioeconomic disparities in physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep across the WHO European region. This cross-sectional study used data on 124,700 children aged 6 to 9 years from 24 countries participating in the WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative between 2015 and 2017. Socioeconomic status (SES) was measured through parental education, parental employment status, and family perceived wealth. Overall, results showed different patterns in socioeconomic disparities in children's movement behaviors across countries. In general, high SES children were more likely to use motorized transportation. Low SES children were less likely to participate in sports clubs and more likely to have more than 2 h/day of screen time. Children with low parental education had a 2.24 [95% CI 1.94–2.58] times higher risk of practising sports for less than 2 h/week. In the pooled analysis, SES was not significantly related to active play. The relationship between SES and sleep varied by the SES indicator used. Importantly, results showed that low SES is not always associated with a higher prevalence of “less healthy” behaviors. There is a great diversity in SES patterns across countries which supports the need for country-specific, targeted public health interventions.
  • Some of the metrics are blocked by your 
    Item type:Publication,
    Socioeconomic differences in food habits among 6‐ to 9‐year‐old children from 23 countries—WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI 2015/2017)
    (Wiley, 2021-07-07)
    Fismen, Anne‐Siri
    ;
    Buoncristiano, Marta
    ;
    Williams, Julianne
    ;
    Helleve, Arnfinn
    ;
    Bakacs, Márta
    Background Socioeconomic differences in children's food habits are a key public health concern. In order to inform policy makers, cross-country surveillance studies of dietary patterns across socioeconomic groups are required. The purpose of this study was to examine associations between socioeconomic status (SES) and children's food habits. Methods The study was based on nationally representative data from children aged 6–9 years (n = 129,164) in 23 countries in the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region. Multivariate multilevel analyses were used to explore associations between children's food habits (consumption of fruit, vegetables, and sugar-containing soft drinks) and parental education, perceived family wealth and parental employment status. Results Overall, the present study suggests that unhealthy food habits are associated with lower SES, particularly as assessed by parental education and family perceived wealth, but not parental employment status. We found cross-national and regional variation in associations between SES and food habits and differences in the extent to which the respective indicators of SES were related to children's diet. Conclusion Socioeconomic differences in children's food habits exist in the majority of European and Asian countries examined in this study. The results are of relevance when addressing strategies, policy actions, and interventions targeting social inequalities in children's diets.
  • Some of the metrics are blocked by your 
    Item type:Publication,
    Thinness, overweight, and obesity in 6‐ to 9‐year‐old children from 36 countries: The World Health Organization European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative—COSI 2015–2017
    (Wiley, 2021-07-07)
    Spinelli, Angela
    ;
    Buoncristiano, Marta
    ;
    Nardone, Paola
    ;
    Starc, Gregor
    ;
    Hejgaard, Tatjana
    In 2015–2017, the fourth round of the World Health Organization (WHO) European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI) was conducted in 36 countries. National representative samples of children aged 6–9 (203,323) were measured by trained staff, with similar equipment and using a standardized protocol. This paper assesses the children's body weight status and compares the burden of childhood overweight, obesity, and thinness in Northern, Eastern, and Southern Europe and Central Asia. The results show great geographic variability in height, weight, and body mass index. On average, the children of Northern Europe were the tallest, those of Southern Europe the heaviest, and the children living in Central Asia the lightest and the shortest. Overall, 28.7% of boys and 26.5% of girls were overweight (including obesity) and 2.5% and 1.9%, respectively, were thin according to the WHO definitions. The prevalence of obesity varied from 1.8% of boys and 1.1% of girls in Tajikistan to 21.5% and 19.2%, respectively, in Cyprus, and tended to be higher for boys than for girls. Levels of thinness, stunting, and underweight were relatively low, except in Eastern Europe (for thinness) and in Central Asia. Despite the efforts to halt it, unhealthy weight status is still an important problem in the WHO European Region.